Shooting The Horse

The cover of SIRPAUL's latest album 'The Horse'
available on iTunes April 3rd, 2012

When my friend and electropop superstar SIRPAUL says that he has a vision for a photo shoot, you usually need to be sitting down. The ideas are always great, but you usually need a moment to figure out 'how the hell are we going to make this happen?'. The idea? SIRPAUL wants to do some photos for the art work to go with his soon the be released album 'The Horse' with a horse. Simple enough, right? No. He wants to be on the horse - naked. Tied to the horse - naked. Naked. No clothes. I am not a prude. I am a bit of a realist. Getting naked is easy. Finding a horse who would allow someone to redefine 'bareback' would be the challenge, I figured. SIRPAUL had all the based covered.

He is great friends with a wonderful woman named Marci Goldstein. Marci owns a stable and several horses. The stable is in New York State about 90 minutes from Manhattan. She would allow us to come up to her stable and do a full out photo shoot. So, SIRPAUL, his husband Paul Petersen, and I, headed north a few weekends ago to make this vision happen.

This is the photo of SIRPAUL he decided not to include in the album
art work. He said that this was the exact moment he felt the most fear.
He didnt include this photo because he felt it was 'too personal'. 

This would be the most rewarding shoot I have ever worked on. It was simple, but complex, involving several people to handle the horse while SIRPAUL was basically naked. (He did have a little something on. In fact, I don't even remember. I wasn't looking 'there'. I was looking at lighting and shadows and my exposure, not his.)

The stable we shot in was more of a training facility than a 'barn'. But it had character. I was torn between shooting using the epic size of the room or staying intimate. I discussed things with Paul Petersen. We needed 'initimate'. So, we found our way to the very back of the stable where the sun was coming in through some windows and it all seemed right. I set up my two strobes, where one of them had a giant 7 foot umbrella attached. The sheer size of the umbrella and the flashing from my strobes could upset the horse, so I was a bit nervous I would be the cause of  'Cowgirl' to be unhappy. SIRPAUL was nervous and worried for himself. There was no saddle on 'Cowgirl'. There was nothing to hold on to while on the horse. While SIRPAUL was on the horse, 'Cowgirl' was so good about SIRPAUL moving around on top of her for different poses. But when some flies came buzzing around due to my lights being on so brightly, the flies would land on 'Cowgirl' making her move around a bit as they tickled her. This would make SIRPAUL ripe for being bucked or thrown or slipping off the horse. And while he was tied to the horse, if 'Cowgirl' took off, SIRPAUL would be been stuck on the horse for the ride of his life...on his back, naked! (Remember, this was HIS idea!).

SIRPAUL and 'Cowgirl'
One of my favorite shots of the day

When all is said and done, the photos are beautiful (if I may say so myself). 'Cowgirl' was wonderful and seem to enjoy the attention. SIRPAUL was profoundly affected by the experience. We are both so proud of the shots taken. Truly amazing results. SIRPAUL provided some clear and compelling art direction and produced a beautiful, dramatic, and sophisticated photo shoot.

SIRPAUL is THE most creative person I have ever met. But he isn't just a 'thinker'. He makes things happen in a realistic manner. He provides a practical plan or roadmap to making a vision become real. He is really the BEST all around executive producer and art director I have ever known.

This shoot has made me rethink some things about how to approach a shoot. I am really a 'face' person. And I always will be. But I need to think sometimes about 'setting'. I need to think about the entire frame more. I guess that would be the difference between 'portrait' and 'editorial'.

It is worth it to think big, dream big, plan big. Very worth it.

SIRPAUL Meets The 80's

Wham! Bananarama! Flock of Seagulls! Cyndi Lauper! Madonna! SIRPAUL? Yup! It's the 80's again...at least on SIRPAUL's new album "The Horse" (coming out in the Spring). His exciting dance oriented album is a throw back to the fun days of the Reagan administration and the birth of MTV...and on into the 90's. It's fun and familiar and completely original. Funky beats with a tip of his 'Frankie Goes To Hollywood' style hat to a time gone by - but completely up to date and perfect for a 2012 dance floor.

I got to hear the entire album while shooting photos for the promotional aspect of 'The Horse'. During a fairly quick 3 hour shoot at Fairway Studios on West 30th Street in Manhattan, SIRPAUL and I worked together with no one else helping either of us. I mention that because I sort of find it remarkable that we accomplished so much, (as Kristen Wigg sings in that creepy sister singing group skit on SNL), 'with my by myself'. Photo shoots are notoriously big productions with lots of people involved. This shoot was just two friends working together, against the clock while in a rented studio, just plugging away.

And when all was said and done, I could not be more thrilled by the results. And as for SIRPAUL, I have never witnessed him more energized and psyched by the outcome of a photo shoot with me. Sometimes a photographer isn't always sure if the model of a shoot is as happy as the photographer is. I KNOW he loves the shots. And I couldn't be more happy.

So, 'everybody have fun tonight, everybody Wang Chung tonight'...and then go to iTunes and get your download of 'The Horse' when it comes out. I will keep you posted on the release.

'LIKE' SIRPAUL here: http://www.facebook.com/sirpaulmusic
'LIKE' ME here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-Young-Photography/271045509622649

Photographing Bruce and Daren

2012 is starting off strong with weekly photo shoots, new postcards made, and with my website being updated! I don't know if it is just that I am having a creative spurt, fearing death, or just happy there hasn't been any snow on the ground so far this winter. (I was kidding about the 'fearing death' thing...although don't we all?)

Saturday January 14, 2012 brought me a very long day of shooting. Between getting my gear packed, throwing it in my car, going clothes shopping for some things for the models to wear, getting into NYC, getting set up, and then shooting for about 7 hours, packing up and getting home...I was really tired. And my cankles were killing me!

But this was a day about 'friends'. Old and new.

Two of my best buddies, Bruce Miller and Alex Paliani, recently moved into a very sweet apartment on West 56th Street. They are keeping the apartment 'open' with only a few pieces of furniture. They have always been generous and wonderful to me, which includes coming on shoots with me and helping me schlep my ever growing amounts of equipment (all to capture that 'natural look', mind you), and inviting me to use their apartment for photo shoots. I would be stupid not to take them up on their help, companionship, and free use of a space in Manhattan to do my shoots!

I photographed Alex a while back. (We are due for a new shoot soon.) I have never photographed Bruce before in any formal way. It was something I have wanted to do. And since I was being allowed to photograph my new friend Daren Esqueda in Bruce and Alex's place, I would take the opportunity to shoot Bruce.

This shoot had a lot of 'firsts' for me. I had recently purchased a 'beauty dish' for my strobes. I had not yet shot with two strobes at one time. I had not used colored gels with my strobes. And most importantly, I had never shot photos with alcohol flowing during the session! Pretty much at the start of shooting Daren, who was first to be photographed during the session, asked if there was any wine around. There wasn't. (We won't discusss why...lol). So, Bruce ran out and got a couple of bottles, along with a six-pack of beer (for me). We didn't get drunk. But, as Alex would say...'it took the edge off'.

Daren was a model completely different from what I have been used to. He wasn't just there getting his picture taken. He involved himself in the entire process...in a good way! I have a video monitor that I use during the shoots to check the shots as I go along. To check exposure, shadows, lighting...that sort of thing. Daren would check the monitor as we went along, not to check on his hair, necessarily. But to look at the entire frame and find ways to fill the frame with a movement or a gesture or an expression. It was a very interesting procedure and process. And great shots came from this. It was a very interesting lesson for me. And I enjoyed it completely. I was amazed at how willing Daren was to experiment and to try something different. He was full of rapid fire facial expressions and body movements that had me clicking away behind my Nikon. A real photogenic free spirit! And as handsome as can be.

Daren also looks great in spandex tights and has the tightest pair of jeans - ever! But I will save that for another time. ;-)

But if I wasn't already delighted, and frankly surprised, at the beautiful results of Daren's shoot, Bruce's time in front of the camera was sort of a revelation for me. I always knew that Bruce was a handsome guy. There is no denying or ignoring that fact, on top of him being the nicest guy in the world. But when Bruce got in front of the camera and under the lights, he was just...amazing. (I hate that over used word...but I can't think of another one that captures what it was like). Even his long time boyfriend, Alex, was captivated by how handsome Bruce looked.

The shoot with Bruce was very straight forward. Alex primped Bruce throughout, making sure he looked his best. Alex also would pick a favorite shot as we went along...and then would update his favorite fairly regularly. "I love this one. This one is my favorite. No, this one is my favorite. No, this one now...".

And to top the day off, Bruce and Alex secretly made reservations for dinner at 'Patsy's' down the street from where they live. This restaurant is famous for being a regular place for Sinatra, Liza, Sammy, and anyone who is anyone to come for a great italian meal, New York City style. It was great! A real 'New York' experience...and the food was, as Liza would say, 'terrific!! (Thank you, guys!)

It was truly an amazing day. Cankle pain and all.

2012 Brings A New Blog!

Hello, everyone!

I know it has been about a year since my last update. Well, there has been a lot of new photo shoots and a lot of exciting things happening with my photography! I have been working with some great models and public figures. And I have been working on my skills. It is a very exciting time for me!

In the next few weeks, my website will be updated. And along with that, I will be updating this blog. There is a lot to share with you. I hope you will check back soon for the latest!